Objective: Persons with diabetes have accelerated muscle loss. The association of fasting and postchallenge glucose levels per se to grip strength, a clinical marker of poor physical function, and potential sex differences in this relationship has not been previously described.

Conclusions: In age-adjusted analyses, elevated fasting glucose levels are associated with persistently lower grip strength in older men, but not women. Future studies are needed to elucidate reasons for these sex differences and may provide further insight into accelerated loss of muscle function as a complication of diabetes in older adults.

BMJDRC2015000086F1: Mean decline in grip strength with aging by baseline quartile of fasting plasma glucose (FPG). For men (A), grip strength was lower among men in the highest FPG quartile compared with those in lower FPG quartiles after approximately the age of 65 years. For women (B), grip strength tended to be slightly higher in women in the highest versus lowest FPG quartile until the age of 85 years, but differences narrowed beyond this age. However, the rate of grip strength decline with age did not significantly differ by FPG quartile for either men or women (both p values >0.05).

Mentions:
The age trajectory of grip strength, using both baseline and follow-up data were available for men and women categorized by baseline quartile of FPG and 2HG is shown in figure 1A (men) and 1B (women). Grip strength was lower among men in the highest FPG quartile compared with those in lower FPG quartiles after approximately the age of 65 years (figure 1A). Conversely, as shown in figure 1B, grip strength tended to be slightly higher in women in the highest versus lowest FPG quartile until the age of 85 years, but differences narrowed beyond this age. Figure 2A, B shows no consistent differences with aging for the highest versus lowest 2HG quartiles for men or women. However, there was no significant interaction with age by FPG (or 2HG) for either men or women (all p values >0.05).

BMJDRC2015000086F1: Mean decline in grip strength with aging by baseline quartile of fasting plasma glucose (FPG). For men (A), grip strength was lower among men in the highest FPG quartile compared with those in lower FPG quartiles after approximately the age of 65 years. For women (B), grip strength tended to be slightly higher in women in the highest versus lowest FPG quartile until the age of 85 years, but differences narrowed beyond this age. However, the rate of grip strength decline with age did not significantly differ by FPG quartile for either men or women (both p values >0.05).

Mentions:
The age trajectory of grip strength, using both baseline and follow-up data were available for men and women categorized by baseline quartile of FPG and 2HG is shown in figure 1A (men) and 1B (women). Grip strength was lower among men in the highest FPG quartile compared with those in lower FPG quartiles after approximately the age of 65 years (figure 1A). Conversely, as shown in figure 1B, grip strength tended to be slightly higher in women in the highest versus lowest FPG quartile until the age of 85 years, but differences narrowed beyond this age. Figure 2A, B shows no consistent differences with aging for the highest versus lowest 2HG quartiles for men or women. However, there was no significant interaction with age by FPG (or 2HG) for either men or women (all p values >0.05).

Objective: Persons with diabetes have accelerated muscle loss. The association of fasting and postchallenge glucose levels per se to grip strength, a clinical marker of poor physical function, and potential sex differences in this relationship has not been previously described.

Conclusions: In age-adjusted analyses, elevated fasting glucose levels are associated with persistently lower grip strength in older men, but not women. Future studies are needed to elucidate reasons for these sex differences and may provide further insight into accelerated loss of muscle function as a complication of diabetes in older adults.